Test strips are often used to determine the amount of glucose or cholesterol present within the human body. Further, test strips are sometimes employed in other applications such as when a sanitizing solution for cleaning is used and whose potency is checked via the test strips. Generally, a test strip is constructed in a rectangular like manner having a width from 0.1-0.5 millimeters and a length of 3.5-4.0 millimeters. The test strips can have a thickness that is less than 0.1 millimeters and may have a slippery, plastic like surface. The user may apply a drop of blood onto the test strip to ascertain a glucose or cholesterol level when managing diabetes or monitoring cardiovascular conditions.
A user is typically provided with a plurality of test strips that are stored within a cylindrical, plastic container. At such time a test strip is desired, the user can open an end of the cylindrical container and turn the container upside down so that a test strip can be removed via gravity. Such an approach may be problematic in that additional test strips can spill out of the container and onto the ground thus becoming contaminated. The user will have to collect and return the test strips to the container again increasing the chances of contamination and increasing the time and effort needed in performing the testing method. As an alternative way of removing the test strip, the user may place one or two fingers into the cylindrical container in an attempt to grasp a single test strip amongst the plurality of test strips. However, this method may cause the user's finger to inadvertently contact a sensitive portion of the test strip thus contaminating the test strip and generating erroneous results. Users with impaired dexterity or visibility may have an even harder time in removing the desired test strip and may have an increased risk of contamination of the stored test strips. Still further, the constant opening and closing of the test strip container may result in the stored test strips being subjected to moisture, sunlight, and other contaminants that degrade the accuracy of the test strips.
Test strip dispensers are known for use in storing and dispensing a single test strip upon actuation. However, such test strip dispensers employ complicated mechanical linkages or require other additional components be provided in order to bias the test strips. Additional components and complexity increase the cost to the user and increase the odds of dispensing malfunction. As such, there remains room for variation and improvement within the art.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the invention.